Saloniks are pigs and I mean that in a completely historically accurate way. Go look it up Pikipedia.

THAT's when I reveal my truuue ff-feelingsh...

Seriously though - if he had chosen his words a little more carefully and people would listen a littel harder to the context of whence those words come you may find that he knows more about Jewish culture/history than many who get outraged when any gentile says something about Jews.

Possibly - Traditionally the Jews have been involved in banking.

"Why?" ,you might ask...

(read a book and look it up)

That is why I revealed my true feelings and opinions.

I'm Jewish and I find the remark offensive. American society has always held the ideal that money should not be the most important thing and too much interest in it is unseemly and speaks to someone who is likely to act unethically in the pursuit of it. Nevermore that America's actual practice of putting money first, is at odds with the ideal. The point is telling someone that all they care about is money is an insult.

Maybe you need to Jewish and have my life experices to car. When I was working at your first job at an ice cream place and having your fellow scooper chant "You're such a smart little Jew, aren't you." and then when you complain to the owner she says, "Your Jewish? I though so. You act like one." to understand that anti-Semitism is real. Or maybe you need to get fired from not one but two different jobs after asking for a Jewish Holiday off, like I did during the early 90's in an area where few if any Jews lived. But then again, maybe you wouldn't mind being told "You just don't fit in here," or my favorit "You are a square peg in a round hole." It took another 10 years after that last incident where I dared to let anyone I worked with know my religion, but at least I didn't loose any more jobs.

I don't think people who have never suffered emotional or finacial harm because they are different from the dominent can understand that remarks that this are more then little slips of the tongue. They represent someone who sees you as other and usually willing to treat in ways they would not treat those they consider their own.

going through the brain of Don Imus right now. Where are the Revs. Jackson and Sharpton now? too close to home on their own past bigotted discretions to comment? Where is the self-rightous outrage on this one? Come on guys, step right up to the plate...

If Thompson's remark is anti-Semitic (casting Jews as synonymous with money making), then are not remarks from RealName and others that cast Jews as synonymous with Israel also anti-Semitic?

Seems that in both cases, the speakers/authors are generalizing and/or co-opting an ethnicity, without permission from, or recognition of, the individuals that make up that ethnicity.

can do significant damage to the nation and the world when they are (s)elected President. It is proper and appropriate for Thompson, and George Allen for that matter, to be loudly taken to task for their maccaca moments. It is unfortunate that there was not the same level of outrage and outcry when George W. Bush made an even bigger ass of himself while speaking in an ungaurded moment to Tucker Carlson about death row inmate Karla Faye Tucker. Bush's clear contempt for human life and practiced lack of Christian ethic should have sent up a red flag to the nation.

Media mogul ruling dermatologists.

We own your asses.

Since when?

There are degrees of "wrong." None of the examples I cited (that all required bowing and scraping apologies) were done with malice or hostility. Imas made a comment using language that is unfortunately in the common lexicon now. Thompson made an innocent remark, and Ferry made an appropriate observation.

I am offended everyday by remarks I hear at work, on the street, on the radio and tv, in movies, on public transportation... I consider the source and move on. I'll be the first to rail against true hate speech, but I truely believe things have gotten completely out of hand.

The only reason being tired would cause this type of comment is because the speaker forgets to censor himself.

Being tired doesn't make you absentmindedly say things in front of strangers that you wouldn't say among friends anyway.

As far as where the stereotype came from goes Christianity in the Middle Ages still considered usury (loaning with interest) a sin. It's the whole moneylender thing. Islam still holds to that although, obviously, most Christians don't. Judaism doesn't have that belief so they did what Christians wouldn't do in those times.

That said, I remember being in high school in Texas and having a Jewish person come by to talk to the students about Judaism. One of the points made is that not all Jews are rich. So, the stereotypes still exist particularly for previous generations. Let's face it, those stereotypes are generally passed from your parents so Tommy Thompson's kids probably think that way too.

This isn't about being offended. This is about a possible Presidential candidate making a remark that sends up a "red flag", which let's us see into his psyche a little better. Afterall, we'd like to know as much as we can about a man who wants to lead the country.

The more we know about a possible candidate, the better. If this is what he says when he's battling a cold, what's he going to say (or do) if he becomes President? Surely, being the President is a tad more stressful than having a "cold".

"I don't believe he's anti-semitic, just a goober who let his mouth get ahead of his brain."

As a native Wisconsinite, let me say countrycat has Tommy pegged. I've met Thompson and he's a nice, friendly guy, but a bit of a dimwit, particularly on the stump. Folks in Wisconsin have a pretty high tolerance for that, but a national presidential race is a different matter.

Anybody inclined to take the Thompson candidacy seriously should look for more of the same from our Tommy.